Camp As Sayliyah Overview
March 31, 2026 Update: Deadline Missed, Families Remain at Risk
On January 14, 2026 the State Department briefed Congress that all residents of Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) would be relocated to third countries by March 31.
That deadline has now passed.
More than 1,100 Afghan allies and their families remain in limbo under U.S. authority, including immediate family members of active-duty U.S. servicemembers. They have not been given clear options for where they will go next.
A deadline was announced without a plan, and it has not been delivered.
They are now trapped as prisoners of incompetence and inaction.
The security situation has also deteriorated. Iranian missile and drone activity has already put Qatar at risk, and families at CAS have reported witnessing intercepts overhead and debris entering residential areas.
This is not a theoretical risk. It is immediate.
We did not discover this problem on March 31. We documented it, escalated it, and warned about it at every stage as it developed.
Read Our March 31 Letter to Congress
👉 Read the full letter to Congress
What We’ve Been Saying for Over a Year
July 2025 – Warned CAS was at risk of becoming an indefinite holding environment
February 11, 2026 – State Department committed, on the record, to briefing Congress before the March 31 deadline
March 1, 2026 – Notified senior officials that missile debris had entered living quarters
March 31, 2026 – Deadline missed; more than 1,100 individuals remain in limbo
What Is Camp As Sayliyah
Camp As Sayliyah is a U.S.-managed transit facility in Doha, Qatar, housing more than 1,100 Afghan allies and their family members.
These individuals were brought out of Afghanistan by the United States government, vetted, and placed into lawful pathways for resettlement. Many were approved for entry to the United States.
They did not choose this location. They are there because the United States put them there.
More than half are women. More than half are children. Approximately 150 are immediate family members of active-duty U.S. servicemembers.
What’s Happening Now
Residents have been told they must leave, but have not been told where they are going or when.
Some have been offered potential relocation to third countries where they have no ties, no clear legal status, and no guarantees of protection.
Others, including those with denied cases, remain stuck without the ability to move forward with their lives.
Families who fled Taliban retaliation are now sheltering from missile debris inside U.S.-managed housing.
This is no longer a processing challenge. It is a safety and accountability failure.
Security Concerns
The security environment around CAS has deteriorated significantly.
Residents have reported:
Missile intercepts overhead
Military activity in close proximity
Debris entering living spaces
They do not have hardened shelter comparable to U.S. personnel in the region.
Current protections are not sufficient.
What Needs to Happen Now
Clear communication to all residents about where they are going and when
Immediate movement to safety for all individuals currently at CAS
Completion of U.S. pathways for those already vetted and approved
Durable, lawful solutions for those not eligible for U.S. entry
Accountability
The United States assumed responsibility for these families when it brought them into U.S.-managed transit.
That responsibility has not changed.
This is not a failure of awareness.
It is a failure to act on information that has been consistently, clearly, and repeatedly provided.
Anyone who attempts to frame this as partisan is choosing to play politics with people’s lives.
This mission has always been bipartisan. It must remain so.
Resources for Press and Congressional Offices
AfghanEvac Substack (including press coverage and updates)
For media inquiries or to connect with impacted families, please contact:
press@afghanevac.org
Our Commitment
We are not walking away from our mission partners.
We will continue to push for solutions that move people to safety, uphold U.S. commitments, and restore credibility to this effort.
We can still get this right.
But it will require urgency, clarity, and action.